I’m convinced that middle schoolers are the same everywhere.

A former middle school teacher myself, I remember what they were like. Boy crazy, silly, sometimes serious, affectionate, pranksters and altogether amazing.

12 and 13 year olds in the Ventanilla district of Lima, Peru are just the same. While one is blowing up the wrist opening of a plastic glove to make a balloon {that eventually popped} another one was begging Chad to show him Angry Birds on his phone. All the girls wanted to take pictures with the big handsome American {Chad} and giggled as they looked at the result.

Let’s just say I’m learning emergency Spanish very quickly.

Actually, children are the same everywhere too. In the Kindergarten classroom today at Project 157, 4 year old boys stuck their tongues out at their friends before lunch and said their prayers in unison as their tutor recited it first.

Baby girls smile at cameras when their feet are tickled.

Three-year-olds don’t want to sit down at meal time.

Sisters love sisters and brothers wrestle brothers.

Fathers work hard {so hard} to provide and are deeply affected when they feel they cannot care for their families like they should be cared for.

Mothers’ hands are full of little hands as they walk the street and will not let the youngest ones walk to school alone. They go along with them.

Families and smiles and hugs and kisses are the same. Peru. California. Lima. Los Angeles. Brown skinned and pale. Love is love. Joy is joy and beauty is beauty.

Our hope is the same {Jesus} and our future is the same {eternity}.

However, when one member of the body is hurting, we must do all that we can to help. Compassion is working very hard to help break the cycle of poverty and hunger around the world, and in Peru, they are seeing whole communities changed. These are children whose families are in desperate need and they are a part of the family of Christ.

We are the same, mothers, fathers, families, children, yet their need is so very great.

We CAN help.

If you have a sponsor child through Compassion or World Vision, write him or her today. Testifying first hand, these children love your letters, they wait for them and they cherish them. I had no idea before I came how much those letters meant.

If you’ve never thought about sponsoring a child, please consider it. Peru isn’t the only place in the world in need {however, Peru has captured my heart forever I think}; there are so many places that need the cycle of poverty broken.

Remember, you are a part of the worldwide body of believers, and that love CAN travel across an ocean and can change the life of a child and her family forever.

We are one body and we are one heart.

Chad has been able to pray for a few families in their homes this week. Here is some of what he has been praying for these amazing people.

Estamao tan agradecidos que Tu no eres un Dios que mira fronteras de naciones, culturales ni economicas, sino que Tu amas a todo los hombres y has llamado a todos hacia Ti, para serparte de una familia que sobrepasa todos los limites terrenales. Te agradezco por este padre y esposo qu ama a sus hijos ya su esposa, un hombre que trabaja duro y hace lo necesario para proveer comide y ropa, pero tambien el amor y la seguridad que los padres estas llamados a proveer a sus hogares.

Gracias por esta madre, pro las largas noches despierta cuidando a sus ninos enfermos, las largas caminates para llevarlos y traerlos de la escuela y por darles las innumerables lecciones que solamente una madre puede dar.

Te pedimos que traigas provision para hoy, y que tambien traigas la esperanza de que las casas seran mejores el dia de manana. Por favor trae a este hogar abundancia de gracia, misericordia y amor, para que se derramen dentro de estas cuatro paredes y tambien a todos los hogarres y familias de este vecindario.

In English:

We are so thankful You are not a God that acknowledges national, cultural or economic boundaries. But You are a God that loves all human kind and have called all people to Yourself. To be part of a family that surpasses any earthly limits. Thank you for this father and this husband who loves his children and his wife. This man who works hard and does what is necessary to provide not only food and clothing but the love and safety a father is called to bring to his home. 

Thank you for this mother; for the long nights staying up with illness, the long walks to and from school and the many lessons only a mother can teach.

We ask You provide for today but that You would also reate the hope for things to be better tomorrow. Please provide this home with an abundance of grace, mercy and love not only for within these four walls but for all of the homes and families in this neighborhood.

To sponsor a child in Peru with Compassion International, click here.

To learn more about Compassion click here.

To learn about the Child Survival Program and how you can help, click here.

To read about why I care, click here and here.